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Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
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Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
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Sunday Notebook
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Browns sick after sick loss in Detroit
Akron Zips:
Zips advance to Sweet Sixteen
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Post-game defensive quotes
Kent State Sports:
Kent State defeats Rochester College, 63-44
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
The Sunday Sanity Challenge
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (69) The Brookings Institute Study on "Bending the Curve" – Four General Strategies
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
A Random Rant on Testing
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Shaun Smith injures knee after 4 starts in row
By Marla Ridenour Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Saturday, Nov 17, 2007
BEREA: In the past two games, Browns defensive end Shaun Smith has been more active and seems to be developing a rapport with nose tackle Ethan Kelley.
But that progress may have been interrupted Thursday when Smith hurt his knee in practice. He was listed as questionable Friday and sat out as the Browns prepared for Sunday's game at Baltimore.
''It's sore, and there is no operation needed,'' Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. ''He's day to day.''
Smith, a free agent from Cincinnati, has started at left end for the past four games. Last week at Pittsburgh, he recorded five tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. He notched three tackles and two quarterback pressures against Seattle.
He and Kelley look to be part of a youth movement as 12-year defensive end Orpheus
Roye sees his time dwindling. He has totaled four tackles in the past four games.
Crennel said that should Smith not play, Louis Leonard would be the backup nose tackle if Kelley is needed at end. Leonard was claimed off waivers from St. Louis on Oct. 8.
''It's been going good,'' Leonard said. ''I know the system now. If he's not ready, I'll be ready to step up.''
The situation improved for Cleveland's banged-up linebacking corps. D'Qwell Jackson (ankle) is questionable and was limited in practice, while Antwan Peek (knee) and Willie McGinest (hamstring) participated fully and are probable.
Cornerback Leigh Bodden (back) is also probable, along with fullback Lawrence Vickers, who missed practice because of a dental issue.
For the Ravens, tight end Todd Heap (thigh) sat out for the third consecutive day and is questionable. So is cornerback Chris McAlister (knee), who missed practice after being limited the previous two days. Safety Ed Reed (back) is probable.
Smith's chance
With quarterback Steve McNair out with a partial dislocation of his nonthrowing shoulder, Kyle Boller takes over for the Ravens and rookie Troy Smith, last year's Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State, moves up to No. 2.
Smith, who slipped to the fifth round of the draft largely because he's only 6 feet tall, has not played in the regular season. This week in a radio interview on Cleveland's WKNR, he hinted that coach Brian Billick might put in a special package to use his athleticism.
Asked whether Smith is ready to play, Billick said: ''As ready as any rookie quarterback who hasn't seen a snap yet. That's a tough load. He has worked hard. He has a grasp of the offense, and if he gets put in that position, the game is going to get fast and big. But he knows that. He has been in big games before. He knows what it's like with the bright lights on. It will certainly be an experience for him.''
Ravens linebacker Bart Scott said Smith is ''a very mature guy.''
''He's very businesslike, very confident,'' Scott said. ''He walks around with his chest up and his head up. He demands respect, and he gets it. He's wise beyond his years, as well. I think he's developing very well, but at the same time, he's still a rookie quarterback, and it's tough.
''If you throw a guy in there too early, it's like a baptism by fire and you can ruin guys early, shake their confidence.
''But he's a very good quarterback. He keeps the ball up high and tight and is always in a position to deliver the football. He's not the tallest quarterback, so he uses the same lanes to run through and to pass through. I think he found a very good knack, and he's able to work with it.''
Braylon's pick
It was no surprise that Michigan product Braylon Edwards picked the Wolverines in today's game against Ohio State. Edwards expected Wolverines running back Mike Hart to play but wasn't sure about quarterback Chad Henne.
''Ohio State showed it's vulnerable on Saturday,'' Edwards said of the loss to Illinois. ''The big thing for Michigan is if everybody's healthy, we'll have the best shot.''
Asked whether Saturday will be coach Lloyd Carr's last game, Edwards said: ''I'm not sure. If it is, he's had a great career up there, a lot of wins, a national championship. It was fun playing for him. If not, I look forward to seeing him again next year.''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: In the past two games, Browns defensive end Shaun Smith has been more active and seems to be developing a rapport with nose tackle Ethan Kelley.
Get the full article here.
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